- Circuits built with basic electronic components,
like resistors, capacitors, and inductors,
can do a lot of things, but they can't do it all.
What if you need to amplify a small signal
to make it larger,
or want to use a low power device, like a microcontroller,
to control a high-powered motor?
To do those things, you'll need to use
a special type of component called a semiconductor.
I'm Barron Stone and I'm an electrical engineer
who likes to keep things as simple as possible.
In this course, I'll show you how to build circuits
using three of the most common types
of semiconductor components,
diodes, transistors, and operational amplifiers.
I'll show you how to use diodes to control the direction
that current flows through a circuit,
so you can convert alternating current
into direct current and protect your circuits
from being damaged by unwanted current that's too big
or flowing in the wrong direction.
You'll see how transistors can be used
to control the amount of current flowing through a circuit
to create electrically-controlled switches
and amplify signals.
And I'll look at the differences
between two of the most common types of transistors,
BJTs and MOSFETs, so you'll know when it's best
to use each one.
Finally, I'll show you how to use an operational amplifier,
or op-amp, which is a handy little component
for a wide range of tasks.
I'll use op-amps to compare signals, buffer signals,
amplify signals, filter signals, and combine signals.
If you're ready to start, grab a handful of transistors
and let's control some current.